TOPAZ
Japanese American WWII Internment Camp
The internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry during WWII was one of the worst violations of civil rights in the history of the United States. The government and the US Army, citing "military necessity", locked up over 110,000 men, women, and children in 10 remote camps. These Americans were never convicted or even charged with any crime, yet were incarcerated for up to 4 years in prison camps surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards.
The story of these camps has become better known, particularly since President George H. Bush issued a formal apology and token monetary compensation to all former internees in 1990. However, the events and causes of this tragic page in history must never be forgotten. If we can understand what occurred and why, we can insure that a similar denial of civil rights will never happen to any future generation of Americans.
This website contains information about one of the camps, Topaz, which was located in central Utah. It also lists other resources (books, organizations, websites) that contain additional information about Internment. This site is sponsored by the Topaz Museum, a non-profit, volunteer organization whose purpose is to preserve the history of Topaz.
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